Althea walked alongside the crew as they traipsed through the reeds, their torches held aloft. If she'd crossed paths with them in Kinvarra, she'd never have guessed that they'd just lost their ship, been set upon by squeeters, and surprised a wayward shade. The strange crew just seemed relieved, plain and simple, to be alive.

When was the last time Althea had been relieved? She truly couldn't recall.

She didn't know about other pirates, but these ones didn't seem so bad. She was standing here, after all, alive and healthy, well fed and with coins heavy in her pocket, free to go about her business when they arrived in Stonecliffe. She hadn't needed to reach for the dagger in her boot...the boy had just handed her one, like he trusted her.

"I don't know how you avoided stings from those monsters," the boy said, sidling up to her.

She tried to shrug easily, like she did the candid gesture every day. "I was lucky."

"Not so much lucky as skilled with a blade! I saw you wielding that thing." He darted his arms out, slashing here and there in imitation. "Very impressive."

"Thanks. Here—you can have it back." She held it out to him, handle first. When he took it, he ran his hands over it lovingly.

"Thing of beauty, isn't it? Wren nabbed it from a Paragon minion." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. Althea looked over at Wren—she'd have to keep an eye out for that one, if she was so crafty that she could steal a soldier's weapon out from under his nose.

"I never caught your name," she said.

"Oh, right! I guess I can tell you now that you know almost everyone else's name. I'm Godfrey." He stuck out his hand and they shook.

"Nice to meet you."

"You, too."

They fell into silence as they walked, but it was a comfortable one.

"So where did you learn how to fight like that?" he asked.

She paused, then said, "My father."

"He must be very good."

"He is."

"How about you?" she asked. "How did you end up with a pirate crew?"

"Same as a lot of people, I guess. Parents died, no family left. Started stealing on the street, got caught by a crew. Started working for them."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

He had an easy smile. "Don't be. It was a long time ago. Besides, I've got loads of company—every one of us here lost our families on the Settlement."

She was so taken aback she almost stopped in her tracks. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

Me, too...

The conversation flowed easily after that. Godfrey told her about the books he was reading, how he was learning to cook, and about their lost ship, the Dirty Countess. She didn't contribute much but she listened keenly, devouring the details of his life. She was surprised to find that she yearned for it herself.

Before she knew it, they were walking down the streets of Stonecliffe. She expected the townspeople to cry out in fear and run at the sight of the two shades, but she was wrong. Instead, they whooped and hollered in celebration, gathering around the group and cheering, pushing them towards the inn at the centre of town. Some were even singing...something condemning the Paragon for their feeble morals and praising the mages for their pure hearts.

Someone swooped past and pushed a flower into her hand. "It's a beautiful day in Stonecliffe, my friend!"

She smiled shyly and spun the stem between her thumb and forefinger.

"If I may?" Godfrey asked, holding out his hand for the bloom. He took it and tucked it behind her ear, took a step back, and nodded approvingly. "Perfect."

She felt a blush come over her cheeks. The boy shoved his hands in his pockets, his own cheeks flushed, too.

As Althea, she was used to the confines of a Paragon uniform, the rigid structure of a soldier's training schedule, and difficult meetings with her father—but as Constance, she was wandering through Stonecliffe's streets in comfortable civilian clothing, her shoulders slouched, her heart light thanks to a kind-hearted pirate.

She rather liked being Constance.

"Oy, Frey! Lose your girlfriend already!" Wren barked, snapping Althea out of her reverie.

If possible, Godfrey's face flushed even redder than before. "Sorry about that," he blurted out. "She doesn't know what she's talking about...I guess this is where we part ways."

"Yeah. Um, thanks for everything."

Someone slapped her on the back as they walked past—the purple-haired girl in overalls. "Thanks again for saving our butts back there!"

The elegant girl with red curls waved. "See you around, Constance Wells..."

Godfrey was still standing in front of her, concern lining his face. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, of course," she smiled. "Don't worry about me. You go ahead."

"Okay, well...I really do hope we see you around."

"Same."

Godfrey ran to catch up with the rest of the crew, and they disappeared into a rowdy pub.

After a few minutes, Althea slipped in behind them, trying not to draw any attention to herself. The pub was packed. She positioned herself within earshot of the group, as close as she dared, and listened closely to learn more.